The National tribune., 1887-02-17
FIGHTING THEM OVER
What Our Veterans Have TO Say About
Their Old Campaigns
THE EIGHTH CORPS
Files It's Claim for Part OF the Glory At Ocdi
Creek.


Greek.
EBrToR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: saw in your
valuable paper an article written by ID. A. Lock
hart Of the 6lst Pa. on the services OF the
Sixth Corns In the Shenandoah Valley. One
would Judge from the tenor Of his article that
nobody did any fighting in the Valley but the
Sixth Corps In the first place, he claims all the
honors for the defeat of Earlys army al " lh-
chester on the 18th of September, 1864. Now,
the writer OF this thinks that the Nine
teenth and Eighth and Averell's cavalry had
each a part In that fight. The Eighth
Corps was on the right and made charge
in the afternoon and drove everything be-
fore IL, eflectually breaking the Confederate
left wing which caused the balance OF the
line 10 give way and the result was COM
plete victory.
We followed mp the retreating enemy
until he reached the strong position at Fishers
Hill, out OF which he was routed on the I'D.
And the 81 xth Corps didn't do that all, either
While Sheridan was keeping mp a feint IN front
with the Sixth and Nineteenth Corps, the Eighth
Corps was sent 10 the right and sweeping
along the enemy's left attacked him
IN FLANK AND REAR
in gallant charge, driving the Confederates
out of their intrenchments, while the Sixth
Corps came up on the front center and the Nine
tecnth on the left. The Eighth Corps had the
rebels pretty well routed, and captured - pieces
of artillery before the other two Corps struck
the Confederate works. The result Of this
days work was a complete rout OF the rebel
army.
Comrade Lockhart claims that at the battle
of Cedar Creek the Sixth Corps did all the
fighting; wherein j am sure he errs. The
Union position was an echelon Of three lines,
posted on three separate crests OF moderate
hight, i'm the vicinity of Cedar Creek near
where IL crosses the Strasburg and Virginia turn
: L.. If..sa. nr0.RNT Mt
Cedar Creek on the 18th of October, 1864, was as
follows: The Eighth Corps formed the left wing,
occupying the most advanced position on the east
crest the Nineteenth Corps held the center
half mile in the rear Of this, while the Sixth
Corps occupied the right crest and half mile
still further TO the rear; the extreme right was
guarded by Torbert's cavalry. There was no
cavalry force on the left where the attack was
made.
The writer was on guard at the headquarters
of the Second Division, Eighth Corps, and had
pretty good chance TO see how the fight COM
menced. IL was at dawn and the Eighth Corps
boys were sleeping i'm their tents. The first
animation they had of the enemy's close PROF.
unity was a volley of musketry at short range.
Many brave soldiers were
KILLED WHILE ASLEEP.
The Confederates had completely fanked our
pickets, and the attack was made in front and
flank at the same time. We made determined
but short resistance. Being outfanked we were
compelled TO fall back, but not in utter con-
fusion" as the Sixth Corps man has it.
The Nineteenth Corps was struck next and
after some hard fighting was also outfanked
and forced back The Sixth Corps was then
reached, and it suffered the same fate. So we
were all onsted from our first positions and
retrogmded about three miles, where we made
stand and where Gen. Sheridan came TO us.
A great deal has been written about who was
in command when Sheridan arrived on the field.
The facts are that Gen. Wright, Of the Sixth
Corps had command in the morning, but re-
ceived wound early in the day, compelling
him to leave the field. The command deyolved
upon Gen. Emory, who turned it over to Gen.
Crook, Of the Eighth Corps, and he was direct
ing when Gen. Sheridan
CAME UPON THE SCENE.
Asregards the Sixth Corps doing all the fight
ing at Cedar Greek that is large mistake. IL
is admitted that the Sixth Corps stood longer in
the morning than either of the other corps and
IL did no more than il ought 10, considering
that il was mile 70 the right and rear of the
Eighth Corps when the Eighth was assaulted.
That gave the Sixth Corps ample time 10 pre-
pare for unavoidable business, and plenty OF it,
which was sure to come. It was an hour after
the Eighth Corps was attacked before the Sixth
became engaged. There is a vast difference
between being overrun in the tents as our
Eighth Corps men were, and being up, alert
and ready to meet the foe as the Sixth Corps
was.
After Sheridan had formed the whole army
in new position in the afternoon the Nine
teenth Corps, then forming the right, was the
first attacked by the enemy, the attack being
repulscd in fine style. Then the whole army
was ordered forward. We went with yell
and the result was a complete stampede OF
Esrly's army, that peculiar old gentleman be.
ing again sent In
RAPID MOTION UP THE VALLEY.
Comrade Lockhart claims that the Sixth
Corps did all the fighting at Cedar Creek and
10 prove IT, says they lost 1900 men in that
battle. Now, according TO official reports, the
losses Of the Union army in that engagement
were as follows: Killed, SIS; wounded, 1916
prisoners, 1881; total, 1886. So there mus
have been other troops there beside the Sixth
Corps. And that is not all of the notable items
clustering about this remarkable contest. Tn,
Sixth Corps outnumbered the Nineteenth and
also the Eighth Corps. The Eighth Corp
never was full and had been greatly reduced
by hard marching and fighting, and the Nine
teenth had there only the First and Second
Divisions Now, i think we all did our duty
and our share Of fighting, and il is not Just fo
one corps to claim all the honors when other
are at least equal in merit. The Sixth Corp
was a good lighting organization, but didn'
do 1t all, by considerable Other corps did a
much as the Sixth, and are entitled TO equa
honor.
The writer Of this does not wish 10 clip on,
laurel from any man or body of men, but be
lieves In rendering unto Cesar that which be
longs 10 Cesar and that honor 10 whom homo
Is due should be our motto.-F NJ PILES &C
X, 14th w. Va, Second Brigade, Second ID
vision, Eighth Corps, Arbela Mo-
0-
The 18th Mich. nj Atlanta.
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: have been
reader of your valuable paper for some tim